Bio-oil hydrodeoxygenation: Adsorption of phenolic compounds on sulfided (Co)Mo catalysts

► Phenol, ethylphenols, and guaiacol were adsorbed on sulfided (Co)Mo/Al2O3. ► All these phenolic compounds anchor on the alumina support as phenate-type species. ► Only the most basic molecules interact with the sulfide phase. ► Phenates anchored on alumina hinder the accessibility of the sulfide edge sites. ► Phenate on the support is responsible for the deactivation in HDO reaction.